Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: Preface to the Five Spiritual Texts
This text is the supreme treasure of the Golden Elixir; it cannot be transmitted to just anyone. For those of superior root, great capacity, and high virtue who encounter this book, it is the correct path to immortality.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: This article discusses the supreme treasure of the Golden Elixir path. It cannot be transmitted unless the recipient is a good person. If one of superior root, great capacity, and high virtue obtains this scripture, it is the correct path to immortality.
Using the Heavenly Heart as the master and the Primordial Spirit as the function.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: The Heavenly Heart is nature, humanity, the human heart, and the mechanism. The Heavenly Heart is the Heavenly Secret. The Yin Fu Jing is also known as the Yellow Emperor's Heavenly Secret Scripture, sharing the same principle. Here, the distinction between master and function refers to the distinction between substance and function. Cui Jing's Exploration of the Source of the I Ching from the Tang Dynasty mentions: "Among all things between heaven and earth, there are form and substance. Within form and substance, there is substance and function. Substance is the form itself. Function is the subtle application upon the form...... For example, the round heaven and square earth serve as substance and vessel, while the beginning and nourishment of all things serve as function and Dao. Animals take the physical body as substance and vessel, and the spiritual consciousness as function and Dao. Plants take branches and trunks as vessel and substance, and the nature of life as Dao and function." Therefore, in cultivation, the movement of the Heavenly Secret is the root, while the Primordial Spirit is the external manifestation and function. The Primordial Spirit is not the root; the Heavenly Secret is the root. Remember this well.
Using the Three Treasures as the foundation; if the external Three Treasures do not leak, the internal Three Treasures will naturally unite.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: Wang Daoyuan's commentary on the Yin Fu Jing from the Yuan Dynasty mentions: “There are two interpretations of the Three Returns: the external Three Returns are the eyes, ears, and mouth; the internal Three Returns are essence, qi, and spirit.” The internal and external Three Treasures and the Three Returns are synonymous here. If the external Three Treasures do not leak, it means the ears do not hear sounds, the mouth does not leak qi, and the eyes do not gaze at objects. By gathering and returning them, one can naturally sense and unite with essence, qi, and spirit.
Only then is there mutual resonance between heaven and humanity, and the Qi of the Pre-Heaven naturally returns.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: When the external Three Treasures return and unite with the internal Three Treasures, mutual resonance between heaven and humanity can be achieved, and the Qi of the Pre-Heaven will naturally be attracted. Do not underestimate this passage; it outlines the general principle in simple terms, but actual practice is not easy. When the Three Treasures of essence, qi, and spirit unite, the Mysterious Portal will appear, emerging suddenly in stillness, profound and mysterious.
However, the inside and outside of the human body, the four elements, and the upper and lower parts all belong to the Post-Heaven Yin and Yang. Only a single point of Pre-Heaven Supreme Yang Qi is mixed within the obscure and unfathomable, being extremely empty and spiritual, difficult to seek and see.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: However, everything inside and outside the human body, although divided into Yin and Yang, is entirely Post-Heaven Yin and Yang. Only a single point of Pre-Heaven Supreme Yang is hidden within the “obscure and unfathomable.” Its characteristic is “extremely empty and spiritual,” making it difficult to seek and see. Therefore, theoretically, uniting the Three Treasures can attract the Pre-Heaven Qi, but in actual operation, this is very difficult.
Although it comes from outside, it is actually nurtured within.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: This single point of Pre-Heaven Supreme Yang, although coming from outside (remaining as a trace of original Yang hidden in the navel after birth from parents), is actually nurtured by one's own body.
If there were no Pre-Heaven, how could the Post-Heaven attract it? If the Post-Heaven did not obtain the Pre-Heaven, how could it transform? This is creating something from nothing, and nothing from something. Nothing becomes form because of something, and something becomes spiritual because of nothing. The Qi of the Pre-Heaven and Post-Heaven are like the echo in a valley.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: It is said that the Pre-Heaven forms Qi, and the Post-Heaven forms shape. The Pre-Heaven transforms into shape in the Post-Heaven, but the Post-Heaven also resonates with the Pre-Heaven. If the Post-Heaven and Pre-Heaven are not connected, the Post-Heaven cannot undergo change; if the Pre-Heaven and Post-Heaven are not connected, the Pre-Heaven cannot be attracted. If we consider the Pre-Heaven as nothing and the Post-Heaven as something, this is creating something from nothing and nothing from something. Nothing takes form because of something, and something becomes spiritual because of nothing. The Qi of the Pre-Heaven and Post-Heaven are inseparably connected. The principle is like the echo in an empty valley: although empty, the sound remains.
Here is a metaphor using the echo in an empty valley. Similar metaphors include collecting water from Fangzhu (a mythical dew-collecting vessel) or extracting fire from an ice mirror. This is because most ancient people did not have a thorough understanding of physical phenomena. Although those who have achieved cultivation understand the principles, explaining them to secular people is difficult, so secular language is used. Therefore, these metaphors may not seem precise from a modern perspective, which is normal.
Do not轻视 (underestimate) this theory just because the metaphors do not seem thorough. A more philosophical explanation would be: All things are interconnected. This connection varies in strength, but regardless of strength, they are connected. For example, no matter how far apart two planets are, there is gravity between them. It is not because there is gravity that they are connected; rather, because they are connected, they manifest as gravity.
The same applies to the Pre-Heaven and Post-Heaven. Because there is a connection between them, the Pre-Heaven, initially Qi, transforms into fixed matter, energy, or other things. But after transforming into Post-Heaven things, because the Pre-Heaven has not disappeared, the Post-Heaven things can still change. Otherwise, they would be fixed and rigid. The reason Post-Heaven things can change is that they are related to the Pre-Heaven, so there is a mutual connection between the Post-Heaven and Pre-Heaven.
This is also why human cultivation is easier than stone cultivation. Stones have a large amount of Pre-Heaven Qi transformed into the Post-Heaven, so their changes and agility are limited. This is also why quantum effects appear when matter is subdivided to particles; from the perspective of microscopic particles, some characteristics of the Pre-Heaven begin to manifest.
This is the reason why the Post-Heaven can attract the Pre-Heaven.
The wondrous use of immortals is simply to take the True Yang Qi of the Pre-Heaven as the mother of the Golden Elixir, to transform one's own Yin Qi, and to change into a Pure Yang body.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: The main purpose of cultivation is actually simple. The wondrous use of immortals is to take the True Yang Qi of the Pre-Heaven as the generator for the Golden Elixir, to transform the Yin Qi within one's body, and then become a Pure Yang body. Cultivation is then successful.
By the way: In the Western alchemical world, there is a legend that if one refines the Philosopher's Stone, one can use it to become a god. It is said to have been passed down by a deity named Hermes. This is also the origin of Western alchemy, with the earliest pursuit being similar to Chinese external alchemy.
From the perspective of alchemy, many sources claim the origin lies in the manuscripts of a Jewish priest, but even the Jews themselves are unaware of this. In actual history, alchemy and some magical practices were introduced to Europe by Arabs, so Latin was highly valued by them. However, when Arabs were vigorously practicing alchemy, they had close cultural exchanges with China, desperately purchasing cinnabar and various herbs in China. They explicitly stated in alchemical books that these Eastern materials were essential. At the same time, Arabia was an open country, skilled at absorbing foreign cultures. It can be inferred that their alchemical practices were closely related to Chinese external alchemy. The difference is that when Arabs practiced alchemy, they used the Greek philosophical system as the basis for refining. A typical piece of evidence is: In the 8th century AD, a new term, “elixir,” frequently appeared in Arab alchemy. Arabs believed that “elixirs” could transform any imperfect thing. On one hand, it could turn base metals into gold; on the other hand, it could heal unhealthy bodies. All of this was clearly a direct transplant from China.
Only when self-refinement is thoroughly mastered can one obtain Pre-Heaven creation, the Mysterious Pearl takes form, the Taiyi contains truth, form and spirit become wondrous, and one merges with the Dao. All of this happens naturally, without any artificial effort.
Three Talismans Surge with Wind and Clouds: To cultivate, one must first start with refining the self. Only then can one obtain Pre-Heaven creation, after which the Mysterious Pearl takes form, meaning the formation of a non-physical Mysterious Pearl. Then, through Taiyi containing truth, it changes into a physical form. Finally, form and spirit become wondrous, and one merges with the Dao. The entire process comes naturally, without needing any artificial intervention.